Family Medicine and Medical Science Research, 2021
Background: Indigenous women residing in remote communities experience a disproportionately highe... more Background: Indigenous women residing in remote communities experience a disproportionately higher prevalence of nutrition-related chronic diseases. The development of evidence-based programs and policies to minimize these health disparities necessitates a comprehensive understanding of Indigenous women’s nutrition status and dietary intake patterns. However, a knowledge gap exists with respect to baseline maternal nutrition status and dietary intake information among First Nations women living on reserves. Objective: We aimed to systematically synthesize existing literature on maternal dietary information in Indigenous women residing on reserve lands and remote communities. Methodology: The articles that reported a singular nutrient status, multiple nutrients status, meal consumption pattern, and/ nutrition-related biomarkers in First Nations women during childbearing years, pregnancy, and lactation were synthesized for this review. Results: Major nutrient deficiencies identified were fiber, folate, vitamin A, D, and E, calcium, potassium, and magnesium; low consumption of vegetable and fruit, grain, and milk and alternative food groups was observed. A lack of information on maternal nutrient status in maternal, First Nations, on-reserve population obstructed nutrition status evidence appraisal. Conclusion: We recommend that a greater emphasis be placed on improved maternal nutrition surveillance systems, which are designed in partnership with the Indigenous organizations. Development of a sustainable community nutrition monitoring system will allow for the construction of the nutrition information capacity.
ALA was highly concentrated in the triacylglycerol, it was low but equally distributed between Pt... more ALA was highly concentrated in the triacylglycerol, it was low but equally distributed between PtdCho and PtdEtn in all tissues; however, the net accumulation was lower (P < 0.0001) in liver compared to yolk and plasma. Levels of EPA and ALA in yolk-PtdEtn were linearly (P < 0.0001; R 2 = 0.93) associated, and reflected those in liver-PtdEtn (P < 0.0001; R 2 = 0.90). In the liver, a strong inverse correlation (P < 0.0001; r = −0.94) between PL-DHA and ALA-to-EPA ratio in PtdEtn supports theories of low substrate availability, possibly limiting the conversion of ALA into DHA for egg enrichment.
fatty acid profile of the total lipid, triacylglycerol (TAG) and total phospholipid (PL) fraction... more fatty acid profile of the total lipid, triacylglycerol (TAG) and total phospholipid (PL) fractions of yolks, enhancing the n-3 fatty acids and reducing the n-6/n-3 ratio. The latter benefit was achieved within 4 weeks of feeding hens either HS-or HO-containing diets. Keywords Egg yolk • Hempseed products • Fatty acid profile Abbreviations ADF Acid detergent fibre ALA Alpha-Linolenic (C18:3n-3) ARA Arachidonic acid (C20:4n-6) DHA Docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6n-3) DPA Docosapentaenoic acid (C22:5n-3) EPA Eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5n-3) GLA Gamma-linolenic acid (C18:3n-6) HS
The present study investigated the effect of dietary Zn deficiency during sexual maturation on sp... more The present study investigated the effect of dietary Zn deficiency during sexual maturation on sperm integrity and testis phospholipid fatty acid composition. Male weanling Sprague-Dawley rats were randomised into four dietary groups for 3 weeks: Zn control (ZC; 30 mg Zn/kg); Zn marginally deficient (ZMD; 9 mg Zn/kg); Zn deficient (ZD; ,1 mg Zn/kg); pair fed (PF; 30 mg Zn/kg) to the ZD group. Morphology of cauda epididymal sperm and lipid profiles of testis phospholipids were analysed. The rats fed the ZD diet had a lower testis weight (P, 0•02). Seminal vesicles and prostate weight were also lower in the ZD and PF groups. Rats fed the ZD diet, but not the ZMD diet, had 34-35 % more abnormal spermatozoa and 24 % shorter sperm tail length than the ZC and PF rats (P, 0•001). Testis cholesterol concentration was higher in the ZD rats compared with the ZC and PF rats (P,0•04). Testes were highly enriched with n-6 fatty acids by showing n-6 : n-3 fatty acid ratios of 27:1 in phosphatidylcholine (PC) and 23:1 in phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). The dominant fatty acid in testes was docosapentaenoic acid (22 : 5n-6), comprising 15 and 24 % of PC and PE, respectively. This fatty acid was significantly lower in the ZD rats, whereas 18 : 2n-6 was higher compared with the rats in the other diet groups. These results demonstrate that severe Zn deficiency adversely affects sperm integrity and modulates testis fatty acid composition by interrupting essential fatty acid metabolism. This suggests that Zn deficiency-associated abnormal testicular function is perhaps preceded by altered membrane fatty acid composition, especially of a major fatty acid, 22 : 5n-6.
Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology A-molecular & Integrative Physiology, Nov 1, 2021
Remarkable temporal and spatial variations occur on selected body temperature (T sel) and locomot... more Remarkable temporal and spatial variations occur on selected body temperature (T sel) and locomotor performance for Plestiodon (Eumeces) chinensis, commonly known as Chinese skinks. However, the significance of these variations remains elusive. Th is study focuses on the eff ects of thermal environment and food availability on P. chinensis 's T sel and locomotor performance. Th e duration of thermal treatment (4h and 8h) displayed signifi cant eff ects on T sel , additionally the eff ects of thermal treatment were also dependent on food-availability. Th ere was no signifi cant variation in skink's T sel under diverse thermal treatments when suffi cient food was available. However, with insuffi cient food source, the T sel decreased with decrease in the duration of thermal treatment. Th ermal acclimation also aff ected locomotor performance of P. chinensis, as the 8h thermal treatment enhanced their locomotor performance. However, food availability alone had no signifi cant impact on the locomotor performance. Th erefore, the combination of thermal acclimation and food availability could cause variations in T sel and locomotor performance of skinks, suggesting that thermal environment and food condition in nature are important factors involved in temporal and spatial variations for T sel and locomotor performance.
Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, 1992
Neural tissue has generally been viewed as resistant to structural changes induced by exogenous f... more Neural tissue has generally been viewed as resistant to structural changes induced by exogenous factors. Research has shown that the brain responds to changes in diet by altering neurotransmitter synthesis, and by shifting neuroendocrine controls over a variety of physiological events. Animal model research also indicates that fatty acid constituents and synthesis of brain structural lipid in membranes undergoing turnover can be altered by changing the composition of dietary fat. In growing animals, the balance between dietary omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids influences brain phospholipid fatty acid composition, phosphatidylethanolamine methyltransferase activity, and rate of phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis via the CDP-choline pathway. It is concluded that biosynthetic control mechanisms regulating synthesis of brain structural lipid, in particular phosphatidylcholine, respond to exogenous factors and represent a normal physiological response by the brain. This response may provide a mechanism for therapeutic treatment of disorders involving degeneration of brain structural lipid.
Essential fatty acid (EFA) incorporation into phospholipid is influenced by chloride channels, su... more Essential fatty acid (EFA) incorporation into phospholipid is influenced by chloride channels, suggesting that the cystic fibrosis (CF) transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) may regulate aspects of EFA metabolism. The objective of this study was to determine whether the ⌬F508 mutation in the CFTR lowers 18:2(n-6) levels in phospholipid. Control cells, CF cells and CF cells transfected with the "normal" CFTR gene or the ⌬F508 CFTR gene were cultured for 3-5 d and used to determine [1-14 C]18:2(n-6) incorporation into cell lipids. CF cells exhibited low 18:2(n-6) levels in phospholipid, reduced [1-14 C]18:2(n-6) incorporation into phospholipid (50% of control) and greater [1-14 C]18:2(n-6) incorporation into the triacylglycerol fraction (400% of control; P Ͻ 0.05). Kinetic modeling of time course data for [1-14 C]18:2(n-6) incorporation revealed a loss of metabolic control over the intracellular partitioning of 18:2(n-6) between phospholipid and triacylglycerol pools in CF cells. Expression of the normal CFTR gene in transfected CF cells increased chloride efflux and the incorporation of [1-14 C]18:2(n-6) into phospholipid and triacylglycerol fractions. The increased incorporation of [1-14 C]18:2(n-6) into phospholipid was attributed to significantly increased incorporation of [1-14 C]18:2(n-6) into phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylinositol. In CF cells expressing the defective ⌬F508 CFTR gene, conversion of [1-14 C]18:2(n-6) to 20:4(n-6) by desaturation-chain elongation was 1.8-fold greater (P Ͻ 0.05) than observed for CF cells transfected with the normal gene. The observations suggest that CF results in a defect in the utilization of 18:2(n-6), which is attributed in part to the defective CFTR.
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 2020
Objective: The purpose of the study was to assess knowledge and perceptions related to carbohydra... more Objective: The purpose of the study was to assess knowledge and perceptions related to carbohydrates, including sugars, among Canadian nutrition-major undergraduates compared to those enrolled in elective nutrition courses (i.e., "nutrition-elective students"). Methods: Cross-sectional surveys were distributed during class time at eight Canadian universities, which included 32 questions on demographics, knowledge and perceptions of carbohydrates and sugars. Descriptive analyses were performed. Differences between groups were tested by Chisquared statistics. Results: A total of 1207 students (60% nutrition-majors) participated in the survey (January 2016-February 2017). Internet-based sources accounted for one-third of the sources where students obtained nutrition information. About 61% of internet-bases sources were "online" or "website" with no qualifiers, and about a quarter was from social media. A higher percentage of nutrition-majors correctly answered knowledge questions of carbohydrates compared with nutrition-elective students (p < 0.01); no difference was observed for sugars-related knowledge questions. The perceptions of sugars were generally negative and did not differ between groups. Conclusions: Several knowledge gaps and common perceptions on topics related to carbohydrates and sugars were identified; nutrition-major students performed better than nutrition-elective students on carbohydrate knowledge questions, but not sugars. These results highlight the importance of identifying methods to help students bridge knowledge gaps and develop skills to critically evaluate nutrition information from various resources and challenge personal biases.
Background: Prenatal ethanol (EtOH) exposure is associated with adverse effect on the male reprod... more Background: Prenatal ethanol (EtOH) exposure is associated with adverse effect on the male reproductive function. Dietary docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is known to improve testis function and sperm parameters, thereby male fertility. This study piloted whether dietary DHA influences testis development and function in rats exposed to prenatal EtOH. Methods: Pregnant female Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 30) received either EtOH (3 g/kg, twice a day, n = 14) or dextrose (n = 16) throughout pregnancy. Moreover, they were fed either diet supplemented with (Cont + DHA, n = 8, EtOH + DHA, n = 6) or without DHA (1.4% w/w of total fatty acids) (Cont, EtOH, n = 8 each), with pups being continued on their mothers' diet after weaning. Tissues were collected at gestational day (GD) 20, postnatal day (PD) 4, 21, 49 and 90 for analyzing testicular developmental markers and sperm parameters, and plasma for testosterone. Results: Dietary DHA increased serum testosterone at GD20 (p < .05) and sperm normal morphology at PD90 (p < .0001) compared to the group without DHA supplementation. Dietary DHA also increased the height of germinal epithelium at peripuberty, PD49 (p < .03). The EtOH exposure induced a marked decline in the testicular gene expression of StAR at PD49 (p < .02) than those of non-EtOH treated group. Conclusions: These findings indicate that dietary DHA may positively contribute to male fertility by impacting sperm normal morphology likely by increasing fetal testosterone level. Prenatal EtOH exposure did not adversely affect the overall testis developmental markers during development and sperm parameters in adulthood.
Data has indicated that gluten-free (GF) foods are more expensive and have lower nutritional valu... more Data has indicated that gluten-free (GF) foods are more expensive and have lower nutritional value than their gluten-containing (GC) counterparts. The aim of the present study was to compare the cost and nutrient content between GF and GC staple foods and determine whether the number and price of GF staple foods differed based on type of store or location within Winnipeg, Canada. Twelve grocery stores (2 chain stores/quadrant;1 local store/quadrant) in the four quadrants (northwest, northeast, southwest, southeast) of Winnipeg were visited to identify GF staple products (bread, flour, cereal, pasta) along with a GC comparator. A total of 819 GF products along with GC comparators were identified. The median cost of GF products ($1.50/100 g) was 131 % greater than that of GC ($0.65/100 g) (p < 0.0001). The greatest difference in cost was between GF and GC flour, with the least difference occurring between GF and GC cereal. GF products were 58, 36 and 100 % lower in iron, protein and saturated fat (p < 0.0001) than their GC comparators, respectively. The number of GF staple products was 370 % higher (p < 0.007) at chain stores than at local stores, whereas store location did not significantly affect the number of GF products available. The greatest difference in number of different GF foods based on store type was for cereals, with the least being for flours. These results confirm that GF staple foods are more expensive and have lower nutritional value (mainly due to lower iron and protein content) compared to GC foods.
Environmental temperature during early life may have prolonged effects on growth and fatty acid m... more Environmental temperature during early life may have prolonged effects on growth and fatty acid metabolism, which could strongly influence overwintering survival in the first year of life for temperate-zone fish. In the present study, we examined how temperature during early life history might influence growth performance and fatty acid metabolism in age-0 Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) when exposed to cold temperatures at later stages. Fish were initially at 16 °C and subsequently held at 16 °C or 20 °C for 60 days beginning at 34 days post fertilization (dpf). Then, all fish were subsequently raised at the same temperature of 16 °C until the onset of cold conditioning at 158 dpf where temperature was gradually decreased to 3.5 °C and remained there for two weeks. Samples were collected before (151 dpf) and after cold conditioning (199 dpf) to measure total length, body mass, whole body metabolic rate, fatty acid profile in phospholipids and triglycerides and mRNA expression of genes associated with fatty acid desaturation, elongation and β-oxidation. Results revealed that before cold conditioning, total length and body mass did not differ between temperature groups, but fish raised at 20 °C showed a lower condition factor. During the cold conditioning, only fish raised at 16 °C grew significantly longer and heavier. There was no difference in metabolic rates between treatments. Significant increases in total monounsaturated fatty acids with decreases in total saturated fatty acids were identified in phospholipids and triglycerides in both temperature groups after the cold conditioning; however, the 20 °C group did not significantly increase levels of gene expression associated with fatty acid desaturation (SCD and FADS1) whereas the 16 °C group did. Our results suggest that thermal experience during early life may influence overwintering survival of age-0 Lake Sturgeon.
Family Medicine and Medical Science Research, 2021
Background: Indigenous women residing in remote communities experience a disproportionately highe... more Background: Indigenous women residing in remote communities experience a disproportionately higher prevalence of nutrition-related chronic diseases. The development of evidence-based programs and policies to minimize these health disparities necessitates a comprehensive understanding of Indigenous women’s nutrition status and dietary intake patterns. However, a knowledge gap exists with respect to baseline maternal nutrition status and dietary intake information among First Nations women living on reserves. Objective: We aimed to systematically synthesize existing literature on maternal dietary information in Indigenous women residing on reserve lands and remote communities. Methodology: The articles that reported a singular nutrient status, multiple nutrients status, meal consumption pattern, and/ nutrition-related biomarkers in First Nations women during childbearing years, pregnancy, and lactation were synthesized for this review. Results: Major nutrient deficiencies identified were fiber, folate, vitamin A, D, and E, calcium, potassium, and magnesium; low consumption of vegetable and fruit, grain, and milk and alternative food groups was observed. A lack of information on maternal nutrient status in maternal, First Nations, on-reserve population obstructed nutrition status evidence appraisal. Conclusion: We recommend that a greater emphasis be placed on improved maternal nutrition surveillance systems, which are designed in partnership with the Indigenous organizations. Development of a sustainable community nutrition monitoring system will allow for the construction of the nutrition information capacity.
ALA was highly concentrated in the triacylglycerol, it was low but equally distributed between Pt... more ALA was highly concentrated in the triacylglycerol, it was low but equally distributed between PtdCho and PtdEtn in all tissues; however, the net accumulation was lower (P < 0.0001) in liver compared to yolk and plasma. Levels of EPA and ALA in yolk-PtdEtn were linearly (P < 0.0001; R 2 = 0.93) associated, and reflected those in liver-PtdEtn (P < 0.0001; R 2 = 0.90). In the liver, a strong inverse correlation (P < 0.0001; r = −0.94) between PL-DHA and ALA-to-EPA ratio in PtdEtn supports theories of low substrate availability, possibly limiting the conversion of ALA into DHA for egg enrichment.
fatty acid profile of the total lipid, triacylglycerol (TAG) and total phospholipid (PL) fraction... more fatty acid profile of the total lipid, triacylglycerol (TAG) and total phospholipid (PL) fractions of yolks, enhancing the n-3 fatty acids and reducing the n-6/n-3 ratio. The latter benefit was achieved within 4 weeks of feeding hens either HS-or HO-containing diets. Keywords Egg yolk • Hempseed products • Fatty acid profile Abbreviations ADF Acid detergent fibre ALA Alpha-Linolenic (C18:3n-3) ARA Arachidonic acid (C20:4n-6) DHA Docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6n-3) DPA Docosapentaenoic acid (C22:5n-3) EPA Eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5n-3) GLA Gamma-linolenic acid (C18:3n-6) HS
The present study investigated the effect of dietary Zn deficiency during sexual maturation on sp... more The present study investigated the effect of dietary Zn deficiency during sexual maturation on sperm integrity and testis phospholipid fatty acid composition. Male weanling Sprague-Dawley rats were randomised into four dietary groups for 3 weeks: Zn control (ZC; 30 mg Zn/kg); Zn marginally deficient (ZMD; 9 mg Zn/kg); Zn deficient (ZD; ,1 mg Zn/kg); pair fed (PF; 30 mg Zn/kg) to the ZD group. Morphology of cauda epididymal sperm and lipid profiles of testis phospholipids were analysed. The rats fed the ZD diet had a lower testis weight (P, 0•02). Seminal vesicles and prostate weight were also lower in the ZD and PF groups. Rats fed the ZD diet, but not the ZMD diet, had 34-35 % more abnormal spermatozoa and 24 % shorter sperm tail length than the ZC and PF rats (P, 0•001). Testis cholesterol concentration was higher in the ZD rats compared with the ZC and PF rats (P,0•04). Testes were highly enriched with n-6 fatty acids by showing n-6 : n-3 fatty acid ratios of 27:1 in phosphatidylcholine (PC) and 23:1 in phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). The dominant fatty acid in testes was docosapentaenoic acid (22 : 5n-6), comprising 15 and 24 % of PC and PE, respectively. This fatty acid was significantly lower in the ZD rats, whereas 18 : 2n-6 was higher compared with the rats in the other diet groups. These results demonstrate that severe Zn deficiency adversely affects sperm integrity and modulates testis fatty acid composition by interrupting essential fatty acid metabolism. This suggests that Zn deficiency-associated abnormal testicular function is perhaps preceded by altered membrane fatty acid composition, especially of a major fatty acid, 22 : 5n-6.
Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology A-molecular & Integrative Physiology, Nov 1, 2021
Remarkable temporal and spatial variations occur on selected body temperature (T sel) and locomot... more Remarkable temporal and spatial variations occur on selected body temperature (T sel) and locomotor performance for Plestiodon (Eumeces) chinensis, commonly known as Chinese skinks. However, the significance of these variations remains elusive. Th is study focuses on the eff ects of thermal environment and food availability on P. chinensis 's T sel and locomotor performance. Th e duration of thermal treatment (4h and 8h) displayed signifi cant eff ects on T sel , additionally the eff ects of thermal treatment were also dependent on food-availability. Th ere was no signifi cant variation in skink's T sel under diverse thermal treatments when suffi cient food was available. However, with insuffi cient food source, the T sel decreased with decrease in the duration of thermal treatment. Th ermal acclimation also aff ected locomotor performance of P. chinensis, as the 8h thermal treatment enhanced their locomotor performance. However, food availability alone had no signifi cant impact on the locomotor performance. Th erefore, the combination of thermal acclimation and food availability could cause variations in T sel and locomotor performance of skinks, suggesting that thermal environment and food condition in nature are important factors involved in temporal and spatial variations for T sel and locomotor performance.
Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, 1992
Neural tissue has generally been viewed as resistant to structural changes induced by exogenous f... more Neural tissue has generally been viewed as resistant to structural changes induced by exogenous factors. Research has shown that the brain responds to changes in diet by altering neurotransmitter synthesis, and by shifting neuroendocrine controls over a variety of physiological events. Animal model research also indicates that fatty acid constituents and synthesis of brain structural lipid in membranes undergoing turnover can be altered by changing the composition of dietary fat. In growing animals, the balance between dietary omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids influences brain phospholipid fatty acid composition, phosphatidylethanolamine methyltransferase activity, and rate of phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis via the CDP-choline pathway. It is concluded that biosynthetic control mechanisms regulating synthesis of brain structural lipid, in particular phosphatidylcholine, respond to exogenous factors and represent a normal physiological response by the brain. This response may provide a mechanism for therapeutic treatment of disorders involving degeneration of brain structural lipid.
Essential fatty acid (EFA) incorporation into phospholipid is influenced by chloride channels, su... more Essential fatty acid (EFA) incorporation into phospholipid is influenced by chloride channels, suggesting that the cystic fibrosis (CF) transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) may regulate aspects of EFA metabolism. The objective of this study was to determine whether the ⌬F508 mutation in the CFTR lowers 18:2(n-6) levels in phospholipid. Control cells, CF cells and CF cells transfected with the "normal" CFTR gene or the ⌬F508 CFTR gene were cultured for 3-5 d and used to determine [1-14 C]18:2(n-6) incorporation into cell lipids. CF cells exhibited low 18:2(n-6) levels in phospholipid, reduced [1-14 C]18:2(n-6) incorporation into phospholipid (50% of control) and greater [1-14 C]18:2(n-6) incorporation into the triacylglycerol fraction (400% of control; P Ͻ 0.05). Kinetic modeling of time course data for [1-14 C]18:2(n-6) incorporation revealed a loss of metabolic control over the intracellular partitioning of 18:2(n-6) between phospholipid and triacylglycerol pools in CF cells. Expression of the normal CFTR gene in transfected CF cells increased chloride efflux and the incorporation of [1-14 C]18:2(n-6) into phospholipid and triacylglycerol fractions. The increased incorporation of [1-14 C]18:2(n-6) into phospholipid was attributed to significantly increased incorporation of [1-14 C]18:2(n-6) into phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylinositol. In CF cells expressing the defective ⌬F508 CFTR gene, conversion of [1-14 C]18:2(n-6) to 20:4(n-6) by desaturation-chain elongation was 1.8-fold greater (P Ͻ 0.05) than observed for CF cells transfected with the normal gene. The observations suggest that CF results in a defect in the utilization of 18:2(n-6), which is attributed in part to the defective CFTR.
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 2020
Objective: The purpose of the study was to assess knowledge and perceptions related to carbohydra... more Objective: The purpose of the study was to assess knowledge and perceptions related to carbohydrates, including sugars, among Canadian nutrition-major undergraduates compared to those enrolled in elective nutrition courses (i.e., "nutrition-elective students"). Methods: Cross-sectional surveys were distributed during class time at eight Canadian universities, which included 32 questions on demographics, knowledge and perceptions of carbohydrates and sugars. Descriptive analyses were performed. Differences between groups were tested by Chisquared statistics. Results: A total of 1207 students (60% nutrition-majors) participated in the survey (January 2016-February 2017). Internet-based sources accounted for one-third of the sources where students obtained nutrition information. About 61% of internet-bases sources were "online" or "website" with no qualifiers, and about a quarter was from social media. A higher percentage of nutrition-majors correctly answered knowledge questions of carbohydrates compared with nutrition-elective students (p < 0.01); no difference was observed for sugars-related knowledge questions. The perceptions of sugars were generally negative and did not differ between groups. Conclusions: Several knowledge gaps and common perceptions on topics related to carbohydrates and sugars were identified; nutrition-major students performed better than nutrition-elective students on carbohydrate knowledge questions, but not sugars. These results highlight the importance of identifying methods to help students bridge knowledge gaps and develop skills to critically evaluate nutrition information from various resources and challenge personal biases.
Background: Prenatal ethanol (EtOH) exposure is associated with adverse effect on the male reprod... more Background: Prenatal ethanol (EtOH) exposure is associated with adverse effect on the male reproductive function. Dietary docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is known to improve testis function and sperm parameters, thereby male fertility. This study piloted whether dietary DHA influences testis development and function in rats exposed to prenatal EtOH. Methods: Pregnant female Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 30) received either EtOH (3 g/kg, twice a day, n = 14) or dextrose (n = 16) throughout pregnancy. Moreover, they were fed either diet supplemented with (Cont + DHA, n = 8, EtOH + DHA, n = 6) or without DHA (1.4% w/w of total fatty acids) (Cont, EtOH, n = 8 each), with pups being continued on their mothers' diet after weaning. Tissues were collected at gestational day (GD) 20, postnatal day (PD) 4, 21, 49 and 90 for analyzing testicular developmental markers and sperm parameters, and plasma for testosterone. Results: Dietary DHA increased serum testosterone at GD20 (p < .05) and sperm normal morphology at PD90 (p < .0001) compared to the group without DHA supplementation. Dietary DHA also increased the height of germinal epithelium at peripuberty, PD49 (p < .03). The EtOH exposure induced a marked decline in the testicular gene expression of StAR at PD49 (p < .02) than those of non-EtOH treated group. Conclusions: These findings indicate that dietary DHA may positively contribute to male fertility by impacting sperm normal morphology likely by increasing fetal testosterone level. Prenatal EtOH exposure did not adversely affect the overall testis developmental markers during development and sperm parameters in adulthood.
Data has indicated that gluten-free (GF) foods are more expensive and have lower nutritional valu... more Data has indicated that gluten-free (GF) foods are more expensive and have lower nutritional value than their gluten-containing (GC) counterparts. The aim of the present study was to compare the cost and nutrient content between GF and GC staple foods and determine whether the number and price of GF staple foods differed based on type of store or location within Winnipeg, Canada. Twelve grocery stores (2 chain stores/quadrant;1 local store/quadrant) in the four quadrants (northwest, northeast, southwest, southeast) of Winnipeg were visited to identify GF staple products (bread, flour, cereal, pasta) along with a GC comparator. A total of 819 GF products along with GC comparators were identified. The median cost of GF products ($1.50/100 g) was 131 % greater than that of GC ($0.65/100 g) (p < 0.0001). The greatest difference in cost was between GF and GC flour, with the least difference occurring between GF and GC cereal. GF products were 58, 36 and 100 % lower in iron, protein and saturated fat (p < 0.0001) than their GC comparators, respectively. The number of GF staple products was 370 % higher (p < 0.007) at chain stores than at local stores, whereas store location did not significantly affect the number of GF products available. The greatest difference in number of different GF foods based on store type was for cereals, with the least being for flours. These results confirm that GF staple foods are more expensive and have lower nutritional value (mainly due to lower iron and protein content) compared to GC foods.
Environmental temperature during early life may have prolonged effects on growth and fatty acid m... more Environmental temperature during early life may have prolonged effects on growth and fatty acid metabolism, which could strongly influence overwintering survival in the first year of life for temperate-zone fish. In the present study, we examined how temperature during early life history might influence growth performance and fatty acid metabolism in age-0 Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) when exposed to cold temperatures at later stages. Fish were initially at 16 °C and subsequently held at 16 °C or 20 °C for 60 days beginning at 34 days post fertilization (dpf). Then, all fish were subsequently raised at the same temperature of 16 °C until the onset of cold conditioning at 158 dpf where temperature was gradually decreased to 3.5 °C and remained there for two weeks. Samples were collected before (151 dpf) and after cold conditioning (199 dpf) to measure total length, body mass, whole body metabolic rate, fatty acid profile in phospholipids and triglycerides and mRNA expression of genes associated with fatty acid desaturation, elongation and β-oxidation. Results revealed that before cold conditioning, total length and body mass did not differ between temperature groups, but fish raised at 20 °C showed a lower condition factor. During the cold conditioning, only fish raised at 16 °C grew significantly longer and heavier. There was no difference in metabolic rates between treatments. Significant increases in total monounsaturated fatty acids with decreases in total saturated fatty acids were identified in phospholipids and triglycerides in both temperature groups after the cold conditioning; however, the 20 °C group did not significantly increase levels of gene expression associated with fatty acid desaturation (SCD and FADS1) whereas the 16 °C group did. Our results suggest that thermal experience during early life may influence overwintering survival of age-0 Lake Sturgeon.
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